A big day for Erin Fox

I don’t take my kids to the pool, because at the pool--beneath the burning hot sun and among the squealing children--is thousands of gallons of death.

Comment

By Erin FoxAugusta Gazette

Butler County Times Gazette

By Erin FoxAugusta Gazette

Posted Jun. 28, 2013 at 6:39 AM
Updated Jun 28, 2013 at 6:40 AM

By Erin FoxAugusta Gazette

Posted Jun. 28, 2013 at 6:39 AM
Updated Jun 28, 2013 at 6:40 AM

I don’t take my kids to the pool, because at the pool--beneath the burning hot sun and among the squealing children--is thousands of gallons of death.

My fear is because of my daughter. I will straight up put the blame on our middle child. My daughter who is full of life and for many years did not have a PAUSE button. Like: I’m about to slide into water that reaches over my head and I’m not that great of a swimmer. Most children would hit their PAUSE button and ask, Should I do this without a parent? But not Little Missy. No, that girl jumps (not slides) right in and has to be rescued by a kid from our church. True story.

So my husband takes the children to the pool and always has. Sometimes I will tag along, but there are many times he takes them and I use it as a reprieve from the all day long interaction with them (my children that I LOVE but all day long is a long time, you know?).

Hubby has taken the children to the pool BY HIMSELF since Baby Chickadee was an actual baby. He’d hold the infant while playing with the older two. His M.O. is to chill and hang with those he loves in an activity they love; my M.O. is to panic at the sight of water.

Fast forward three years. Last week the kids and I were driving down 7th Street when we saw my sister-in-law and nephews enjoying some shaved ice after a swim. As I sat down to write this column, I couldn’t quite remember how I knew they’d been swimming (maybe it was just my guilty conscience at not taking my own kids to the pool?) but whatever it was made me think about how I wanted to be the fun mom, too. I wanted to take my kids swimming. Exclamation point!

So Thursday I did it. Baby Chickadee stays close to me at all times, no matter where we are; Little Missy has gained abilities in her swimming (as well as some height so her feet almost always touch the bottom of the pool); and G has always used his PAUSE button too liberally. So Thursday, beneath the scorching hot sun and among the busloads (LITERALLY BUSLOADS) of squealing children, I took my three to the Augusta Pool.

And not only did everybody come out alive, we all had a great time. I didn’t panic once. Baby Chickadee and I hung out in the shallow end, G and Little Missy giggled and played tag all over the pool, and we had a great afternoon in the 100+ degree heat.

Page 2 of 2 - Look at me. Erin Fox, slowly becoming a fun mom.

Erin Fox is a weekly columnist for the Augusta Gazette . Her popular blog - erin’s little corner can also be found on our webpage, www.augustagazette.com.